Maskless crowds flood American tourist spots

Overcrowding in tourist destinations in California (USA) has caused many people to worry about an increase in SARS-CoV-2 positive cases.
In recent days, many US authorities are trying to stop crowds from flocking to beaches, footpaths and docks across Southern California. They worry another outbreak might happen when people gather and have fun, according to them The Guardian.

Images of hundreds of people without masks crowded together at Santa Monica pier and watching street performances on Venice’s walkway have raised fears that California spring break could go out of control. This case happened in the city of Miami Beach, Florida. On March 20, Mr. Dan Gelber, mayor of Miami Beach, declared a state of emergency because of the huge wave of tourists flocking here. After more than a year spending more time at home than on the street, many people are eager to party in the sun when summer comes. However, wearing a mask and exercising social distance makes the fun even more fading. Covid-19 vaccination is underway as planned. According to the The Guardian about 50% of adults in the City of Los Angeles have received at least one shot. However, local health authorities warn that it is too early for the public to lose their guard. Barbara Ferrer, Los Angeles’ public health director, advises people during this time not to rush to travel and gather large numbers of people. However, some leaders want to lift pandemic restrictions to restart the economy as soon as possible. Many people flock to famous places in California. Photo: The Guardian. Several theme parks reopened this week. Outdoor bars and bowling alley will be allowed to resume operations in Los Angeles on April 5. “Every indicator we are monitoring locally is on the right track. Everything is very good, ”Eric Garcetti, mayor of Los Angeles, said during a press conference on 29/3. In it he just mentioned briefly about the things that need to be done for spring break. With the current situation, Rochelle Walensky, director of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has a contrary opinion with Mr. Garcetti. New infections are on the rise again, she said. The country is in danger of losing its advantage in the fight against the Covid-19 epidemic when a new variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus spreads rapidly. Over the weekend, 100,000 people visited the famous pier in Santa Monica without any anti-epidemic measures. Santa Monica city leaders are planning to limit the number of people on the pier by not accepting visitors before 3 hours of closing. They also run the program “Health Ambassadors”, recruiting people to remind visitors to wear masks.